Is this a good non-clinical volunteer activity?

[Medigal]

I am considering volunteering at a homeless youth shelter as a mentor and/or life skills instructor to help them make a transition to college and assist them in finding career opportunities. I just finished freshman year and have not had any previous non-clinical volunteer experience. I wanted to know if this is enough to be considered my only experience or should I also volunteer at a food bank?

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[Goro]

yes, yes yes!

 

[Kardio]

I'm a lowley applicant but I think this process is about more than fulfilling informal requirements. Do you want to do the latter activity because 2>1, or because it interests you?

Volunteering at either could be englightening - an opportunity to learn about the world and others in alternative and interesting way. You may get more out of a single long-term, in-depth experience that you're genuinly interested in.

I think your motives will come to light as you fill out AMCAS and describe them at interviews. It's best to set your internal compass towards being a good person first, and being the perfect applicant second (because it's going to show and will keep your soul in-tact).

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

I am considering volunteering at a homeless youth shelter as a mentor and/or life skills instructor to help them make a transition to college and assist them in finding career opportunities. I just finished freshman year and have not had any previous non-clinical volunteer experience. I wanted to know if this is enough to be considered my only experience or should I also volunteer at a food bank?

Yessss! You'll have a great experience. I tutored in underserved schools for 3 years in my app and it was brought up in every one of my interviews! It was my only non-clinical volunteering experience as well but had a few hundred hours. Make sure you do your experience longitudinally and you shouldn't have to do multiple non-clinical volunteering unless you want to.

 

[Ultimakey]

I am considering volunteering at a homeless youth shelter as a mentor and/or life skills instructor to help them make a transition to college and assist them in finding career opportunities. I just finished freshman year and have not had any previous non-clinical volunteer experience. I wanted to know if this is enough to be considered my only experience or should I also volunteer at a food bank?

Go for It! Experiences like these are incredibly humbling!

 

[Medigal]

I'm a lowley applicant but I think this process is about more than fulfilling informal requirements. Do you want to do the latter activity because 2>1, or because it interests you?

Volunteering at either could be englightening - an opportunity to learn about the world and others in alternative and interesting way. You may get more out of a single long-term, in-depth experience that you're genuinly interested in.

I think your motives will come to light as you fill out AMCAS and describe them at interviews. It's best to set your internal compass towards being a good person first, and being the perfect applicant second (because it's going to show and will keep your soul in-tact).

Thanks for your insights! I will keep that in mind and pursue a dedicated activity which will genuinely interest me.

 

[Medigal]

Yessss! You'll have a great experience. I tutored in underserved schools for 3 years in my app and it was brought up in every one of my interviews! It was my only non-clinical volunteering experience as well but had a few hundred hours. Make sure you do your experience longitudinally and you shouldn't have to do multiple non-clinical volunteering unless you want to.

That's nice to hear. Thanks for the perspective! I am thinking about trying out both and then continue with the one that interests me. But I believe that any experience will have a good impact so I am optimistic about pursuing it longitudinally.

 

[Medigal]

Go for It! Experiences like these are incredibly humbling!

Thank you! I agree with what you said. I have been volunteering at a hospital and it has been a very humbling and life-changing experience. I have learned to accept the kind of conversations about terminally ill patients that the hospital staff participates in, and it has made me appreciate life and the medical field even more.